The fire department responded to a small fire at a construction site in front of Auke Bay Elementary School at about 1 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

Students were evacuated as a precaution when smoke from the fire entered the school’s gym, which set off the fire alarms and prompted the Capital City Fire/Rescue to respond.

The fire was extinguished by the construction crew before CCFR arrived on scene, CCFR Chief Richard Etheridge said in an interview. No injuries were reported, he said.

Etheridge said the fire was caused by welding operations — sparks fell onto plastic Visqueen sheeting, setting it on fire. The fire was confined to the 10-by-20-foot sheeting. Ten firefighters, two fire engines and an ambulance responded to the school, which is located at 11869 Glacier Highway and is undergoing renovations.